Honda Nss MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 19,854 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 12.7%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Honda Nss MOT Reliability Overview
The Honda Nss is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 19,854 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 9 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 87.3% and a failure rate of 12.7%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Honda Nss earns a "Excellent" reliability rating. The average Honda Nss presents for MOT with approximately 21,900 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2021 models achieve the highest pass rate at 94.3%, while 2015 models have the lowest at 85.6%. This 8.7 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Honda Nss is Motorcycle brakes, affecting 10.8% of all tests. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. The second most common issue is Motorcycle tyres at 5.5%. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors rounds out the top three at 4.1%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
Based on MOT data, 2019 models have the highest pass rate at 89.1%.
Based on 2024 MOT test results only — the most recent data available. "Built" = year of manufacture. Cars need their first MOT at 3 years old, so the newest cars shown are from ~3 years ago.
Bar chart showing pass rate by manufacture year from 2015 to 2020
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
Tracking how each manufacture year's MOT pass rate changes as the car ages. Showing 6 vintages — click year chips to highlight.
Multi-line chart showing how different Honda Nss vintages degrade over time, from age 3 to 20 years.
Only vintages with 100+ tests in at least 3 different test years are shown. Fleet average is the UK-wide pass rate for all cars at each age.
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Honda Nss. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 10 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Honda Nss ages relatively gracefully. The failure rate increase of 19% after warranty is below average, suggesting good long-term reliability. Peak failure occurs at age 8 (15.8% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motorcycle Brakes | 10.8% | 2,137 |
| 2 | Motorcycle Tyres | 5.5% | 1,099 |
| 3 | Motorcycle Lamps And Reflectors | 4.1% | 809 |
| 4 | Motorcycle Steering | 3.2% | 638 |
| 5 | Motorcycle Suspension | 1.7% | 340 |
| 6 | Motorcycle Structure And Attachments | 0.7% | 143 |
| 7 | Motorcycle Audible Warning (Horn) | 0.4% | 70 |
| 8 | Non-component Advisories | 0.3% | 63 |
| 9 | Identification Of The Vehicle | 0.3% | 59 |
| 10 | Motorcycle Tyres And Wheels | 0.2% | 47 |
| 11 | Motorcycle Wheels | 0.2% | 30 |
| 12 | Motorcycle Lighting And Signalling | 0.1% | 28 |
| 13 | Motorcycle Steering And Suspension | 0.1% | 22 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 21,900 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motorcycle brakes | 4.91 | 10.8% | 2,137 |
| Motorcycle tyres | 2.53 | 5.5% | 1,099 |
| Motorcycle lamps and reflectors | 1.86 | 4.1% | 809 |
| Motorcycle steering | 1.47 | 3.2% | 638 |
| Motorcycle suspension | 0.78 | 1.7% | 340 |
| Motorcycle structure and attachments | 0.33 | 0.7% | 143 |
| Motorcycle audible warning (Horn) | 0.16 | 0.4% | 70 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.14 | 0.3% | 63 |
| Identification of the vehicle | 0.14 | 0.3% | 59 |
| Motorcycle tyres and wheels | 0.11 | 0.2% | 47 |
| Motorcycle wheels | 0.07 | 0.2% | 30 |
| Motorcycle lighting and signalling | 0.06 | 0.1% | 28 |
| Motorcycle steering and suspension | 0.05 | 0.1% | 22 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Honda Nss has 21,900 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Honda Nss has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 5.80% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is worse than average.
About Honda Nss MOT Data
The Honda Nss is a relatively common sight on UK roads, with 19,854 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 9 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 87.3% and a failure rate of 12.7%, which is well above the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Honda Nss owners, these results suggest a reliable vehicle that generally passes its MOT without major issues. Focus your pre-MOT checks on motorcycle brakes and motorcycle tyres for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific Nss is likely to perform.
Motorcycle brakes — 10.8% of failures
Motorcycle brakes issues account for 10.8% of MOT failures on the Honda Nss. Brake-related failures include worn brake pads, corroded brake discs, leaking brake lines, and faulty brake servos. These are safety-critical components — any brake deficiency will result in an MOT fail. Typical repair costs: £150–400. Pre-MOT check: Listen for squealing or grinding noises. Check brake pedal feel — if it feels spongy or goes to the floor, have the system inspected immediately. Look at brake pad thickness through the wheel spokes (minimum 3mm).
Motorcycle tyres — 5.5% of failures
Motorcycle tyres issues account for 5.5% of MOT failures on the Honda Nss. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors — 4.1% of failures
Motorcycle lamps and reflectors issues account for 4.1% of MOT failures on the Honda Nss. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Honda Nss?
Based on 19,854 MOT tests in our database, the Honda Nss has an overall pass rate of 87.3% (12.7% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Honda Nss?
The top 3 reasons a Honda Nss fails its MOT are: 1. Motorcycle brakes (10.8%), 2. Motorcycle tyres (5.5%), 3. Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (4.1%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Honda Nss reliable?
With a 12.7% MOT failure rate, the Nss is more reliable than average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Honda Nss?
Based on failure data, focus on: Motorcycle brakes (10.8%); Motorcycle tyres (5.5%); Motorcycle lamps and reflectors (4.1%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.